Putting aside what it does to your baby...have you looked into what it does to you?! Having worked in a respiratory dept and seen so many, many patients crippled by emphysema, not to mention lung cancer, I just don't understand why people do it - do you want to end up on oxygen and in a wheelchair, gasping for eachbreath?! Also...passive smoking, even if you think it's not having an impact on your kids, will be. My auntie had a post mortem when she passed away and cause of death was lung disease, she had never smoked in her life but her husband had, outside, and never in the house, and her lungs were as damaged as if she had been smoking 40 a day.

Sorry this all sounds brutal...but you said to scare you :-D! Google images of smokers lungs and then have a look at the charts that show you how quickly your health improves and I dare you not to be inspired!

Go to the specialist baby unit and see a baby that has a low birth weight and additional complications. If something went wrong that could be attributed to smoking you would never forgive yourself.You clearly care about it as you have up before. Find that strength again.

Ps not normally this harsh but you did ask and if you were a friend of mine I would want what was best for you and your baby x

I smoked before pregnancy but stopped straight away, I could never bring myself to have a cig no matter how much I want one.. the guilt of the poor baby inside wouldn't let me. My friends mum is a midwife and told me she can tell a smoker from the placenta, it should be a dark red colour, but a smokers will be black, disgusting. Just think that it what your baby gets all its nutrition from and you are polluting it for the sakes of a cig.

Plus i second what CruCru said, if I saw a pregnant women smoking I would instantly judge her parenting skills. My younger sister smoked throughout her pregnancy, and wanted to attend my graduation, The rule was that if she wanted to smoke there was no way she was doing it 1 - in front of my friends and 2. Anywhere near me.

Its only for 9 months, it's not that hard, once its out of your for three days i have heard you are no longer addicted its just the habit you miss!!

I think practically all primary care organisations used to offer free smoking cessation counseling which was specifically aimed at pregnant women. They have all the scary babies floating in brown murky stuff so are well qualified to scare you into stopping but also can address the underlying addiction. I would go through your GP as the counselors are probably attached to hospitals now as PCTs no longer exist.

My son was born at 24 weeks following a massive placental abruption, I don't smoke but the guilt that my body had failed was crippling. Smoking increases the risk of placental abruption, low birth weight complications, lung and heart issues due to damaged placental function......just imagine how you would feel if heaven forbid something happened and you hadn't done all you could to protect your baby. I agree with the earlier poster go to nicu, I promise if you see tiny babies like my son fighting for their lives you just wouldn't risk it.

The next cigarette you smoke could be the one that tips some tiny chemical balance in your body and pregnancy, and puts it on an irreversible path to an abruption (or some other problem).

It might not need all the cigarettes you might smoke over the next few months to do that. It might only need one more - the next one - to push your body in that direction.

Even if you stop straight after the next one it could be too late. (After all if even nonsmokers can sometimes get these problems and smokers just get them more, in some people it might take hardly any smoke to do it.)

So if you catch yourself thinking "I know, I know, I ought to stop but since I'm definitely about to stop just one more first won't hurt" - point out to yourself that it could be the verynextone that does the damage to you or the baby that you can never undo, so even if you stop straight afterwards it could be too late.

Think of the lovely fresh air you could be breathing in instead of that smoke for the next ten minutes. Make yourself a really nice drink, something you really like. Sit with it somewhere peaceful and enjoy breathing in fresh air. Think of that fresh air going into your body, like medicine, all clean and full of oxygen, making lovely strong red blood cells that are going to your baby to help them grow.

Fantastic advice already, but if you were to post this on the main pregnancy area you'd get even more responses. I think the motivation really needs to come from you. If only you could feel the kicks and see a scan from day 1 to keep you going, as it doesn't feel like a real little person early on. You're going to save loads of money, alongside all the obvious health benefits for you and your baby. I think the very fact you're seeking supports shows you're geared up for this! Loads of luck - let us know how you're doing xx

I need all the harsh advice. The abruption thing is just terrifying, I didn't know about that.

LunaticFringe- Sorry for you loss and thank you for sharing that to help me.

Mama - I hope your son is ok now.

I will think of this thread and everything you've posted next time I'm desperate for a cigarette.

There really is no excuse.

So if you catch yourself thinking "I know, I know, I ought to stop but since I'm definitely about to stop just one more first won't hurt" - point out to yourself that it could be the very next one that does the damage to you or the baby that you can never undo, so even if you stop straight afterwards it could be too late.

This is what I do. I think this will be my last one. Or on Friday I will definitely stop.

Jumping, yes my son is doing great thanks, he is now over 6 months and so far no long term complications

My grandad gave up smoking 30 odd years ago, my mum wouldn't let him near me as a baby unless he did! But what helped him was eating an almond when he felt he needed a cigarette kind of a replacement strategy. Best of luck to you.

when you smoke the baby gets less oxygen. when the baby gets less oxygen his growth is restricted. when growth is restricted his body prioritises the most important bits so the head and upper body with the important organs get more blood and the lower body gets less. this means the head is proportionally bigger so a growth restricted baby has a massive head and arms and titchy scrawny legs. you can spot a growth restricted baby a mile off.